Gloria Govan is an American television personality, actress, producer, and author who became widely known through VH1’s Basketball Wives and Basketball Wives LA.
Her public career later expanded into acting, television hosting, production, and publishing. Govan was previously married to former NBA player Matt Barnes, with whom she has twin sons.
She later married former NBA player and coach Derek Fisher in 2021. In July 2026, reports confirmed that Govan and Fisher were living separately while working through issues in their marriage.
Gloria Govan Biography
She was born on February 22, 1985, in Oakland, California. She is American and has Mexican and African American heritage.
Gloria Govan grew up in Oakland with her sister Laura and brother Lonnie. Publicly available biographical information about her parents and early family life is limited, so details about their names, occupations, and private circumstances are not included here.
Her early interests included sport and performance. Govan was a three-sport athlete during high school and later became associated with basketball through her relationship with Matt Barnes and her eventual television career.
She became publicly known in 2010 when she joined the cast of VH1’s Basketball Wives. The reality series followed women connected to professional basketball players and quickly became one of the network’s prominent reality franchises.
Govan subsequently appeared on Basketball Wives LA, which followed the lives of women connected to the NBA scene in Los Angeles.
Her appearances on the show established her as a recognizable television personality before she began concentrating more heavily on acting, hosting, production, and entrepreneurial projects.
Career
Govan’s television career began with reality television, but her work has extended beyond the Basketball Wives franchise.
She appeared in the original Basketball Wives in 2010 before becoming part of Basketball Wives LA in 2011 and 2012.
Her time on the series gave viewers a closer look at her relationship with Barnes and her life within the Los Angeles basketball community.
After her reality television appearances, Govan pursued opportunities in entertainment. IMDb credits her as an actress and producer, with acting appearances including Clean Ops: The Chronicles of V and Chocolate City.
She also worked behind the camera. Govan was credited as an executive producer on the 2015 comedy series Comedy Dynamics: Uncontrolled Comedy, which marked another step away from being known solely as a reality television personality.
Her production work continued with Meet the Blacks, the 2016 comedy film starring Mike Epps. Govan was involved in the production of the film, adding another significant credit to her entertainment career.
Govan has also worked as a television host and appeared in entertainment programming outside reality television.
Her career has therefore developed across several areas of the industry, including on-screen appearances, hosting and production.
Cookbook
Govan also became an author with the publication of Gloria Govan’s A Mixed Girl’s Favorite Recipes in 2014.
The cookbook focuses on family recipes and cultural heritage.
Its description identifies Govan as having Mexican and African American roots and presents food as a connection between family members and different cultural traditions.
The book was published on May 27, 2014, and contains 102 pages in its Kindle edition. Her work as an author added another dimension to a career that had already included television and entertainment.
Matt Barnes
Gloria Govan and Matt Barnes were previously married and share twin sons. The pair first met when they were teenagers. Their relationship eventually developed into a long-term partnership, and they welcomed twin boys, Carter Kelly Barnes and Isaiah Michael Barnes, on November 6, 2008.
Govan and Barnes married in California in 2012. Their relationship later came to an end, with the couple separating in 2014 before their divorce was finalized in December 2016.
Govan discussed the separation publicly during the period, describing their relationship as one that had evolved and emphasizing that they would remain connected because of their children.
Barnes also publicly acknowledged the importance of maintaining a relationship with Govan as the mother of his children. Their post-marriage relationship has remained relevant because of their role as co-parents.
Barnes later discussed co-parenting with Govan and Derek Fisher while describing Fisher as someone who had previously been his NBA teammate.
Derek Fisher
Gloria Govan is married to former NBA player and coach Derek Fisher. Govan and Fisher began dating in 2015 after both had separated from their previous marriages.
Fisher had played 18 NBA seasons and won five championships during his playing career. The couple became engaged in 2018 and initially planned to marry in 2020.
Their wedding was postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Govan and Fisher eventually married on July 17, 2021, at Cielo Farms in Malibu, California.
Their wedding brought together children from both of their previous relationships. Govan has twin sons with Barnes, while Fisher has four children from his previous marriage to Candace Fisher.
Govan described the wedding as an important moment for their blended family, with family and children playing a central role in the celebration.
The marriage entered a new phase in July 2026 when reports confirmed that Govan and Fisher had been living separately for a period of time.
Their spokesperson said the couple remained in communication and were attempting to work through their issues, with no plans for divorce reported at that point.
That development means Govan’s current relationship status should be described accurately as married to Derek Fisher while living separately and working through marital issues.
Gloria Govan’s Children
Govan has two children, twin sons Carter Kelly Barnes and Isaiah Michael Barnes. The twins were born on November 6, 2008, during her relationship with Matt Barnes.
Her children have remained an important part of her public life, particularly because Govan, Barnes and Fisher have had to navigate a blended family structure.
Barnes and Fisher were also teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers, adding another connection to a family story that has remained closely linked to professional basketball.
Gloria Govan’s Net Worth
Gloria Govan’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million. She has earned income through television appearances, acting, production, publishing, and other entertainment and entrepreneurial activities.
Her former husband Matt Barnes also earned substantial income during his NBA career, while Derek Fisher enjoyed a long playing career and later worked as a coach.
Property transactions involving Govan and Fisher have also attracted public attention. In 2025, the couple sold their Chatsworth, California, home for $2.85 million after listing the property for sale earlier that year.
